This invention relates generally to the field of weather prediction. Specifically, the invention relates to weather prediction from present wind direction observations only, no other atmospheric parameter being used.
The general field of weather forecasting and prediction has become a highly sophisticated art. It is well known that the atmosphere can be described as a three dimensional model, consisting of highly interrelated weather systems of wind, pressure, temperature, humidity, cloudiness, precipitation, and visibility. Governmental agencies spend vast sums of money for weather system modeling, data collection, and prediction techniques in order to predict local and even global weather conditions. It has been found over the years that local weather prediction can be economically accomplished by simply using data on a few or even one of the parameters of current local weather. A single parameter often used for local weather prediction is atmospheric pressure. The barometer of course is a well known instrument, measuring but one parameter of local weather systems--atmospheric pressure--for local weather prediction. The barometer is useful as a weather prediction tool because atmospheric pressure varies with the intensity of cyclonic and anticyclonic weather systems which move across the earth. Local observations of cloud type combined with measurement of barometric pressure has been a more accurate but more complicated way to obtain data for the prediction of local weather.
It has been found that a more reliable indicator of short term future local weather conditions is wind direction alone. Weather prediction by wind direction is less likely to be affected by variations of diurnal pressure or by clouds caused by thermal radiation.
It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus for predicting local weather conditions.
It is another object of this invention to provide an economical alternative to the measurement of atmospheric pressure for local weather prediction.
It is another object of this invention to provide apparatus for sensing wind direction information for use in predicting local weather conditions.
It is another object of this invention to provide a visual indication of local weather prediction inside a building based solely on outside wind direction information obtained from the top of the building.